Coward
by MerlinGrayson
Summary: Merlin, Arthur and the Knights are on a hunting trip, trying to both hunt animals and herbs. When Merlin and Arthur have an argument, Arthur calls him a coward. Merlin takes this to heart and they end up not talking. That night, Merlin gets kidnapped and injured. When the Knights find out, will Arthur regret his words? How will everything play out? Its a one-shot


For some reason, today was a day both Arthur and Merlin seemed to be on edge. Merlin was getting annoyed at everything Arthur seemed to do and vice versa. They couldn't explain why they felt this way, possibly being spent up anger from the previous knights that stayed that put pressure on their relationship. When they left, Merlin and Arthur just didn't seem to be agreeing or goofing off as much and it was evident to the other Knights.

Currently Arthur was trying to shoot a deer for some dinner, but Merlin was trying everything in his power to piss Arthur off. Coughing, clearing his throat, shifting his feet as loudly as possible and the worse, rustling nearby bushes all while just muttering a sad sorry.

But when he sneezed, Arthur was fed up. "Will you shut the hell up Merlin?!" Snapped Arthur his voice coming out louder than he anticipated.

Merlin scoffed. "What do you mean? Ik not doing anything." He snapped back.

Arthur looked over at Leon who was shifting his feet uncomfortably as well. Arthur shot up, throwing the crossbow towards Merlin who nearly missed catching it. "Carry that." He demanded. "Seems the deer isn't here anymore thanks to antsy over here."

Merlin glared at him. "Says the one who can't even aim." Merlin whispered but Arthur heard.

"Cant aim? Shall I show you how well I can aim? Would you like to be my next target practice?!" Arthur shot.

"If it keeps you from hurting innocent animals sure. I would be delighted. Not like you haven't used me as Target practice before." Merlin threw the crossbow over his shoulder, flinching at the weight he currently held on his shoulders. Three heavy bags and now a crossbow, Odin help him.

Arthur just rolled his eyes. "My god what a coward." Arthur mouthed, turning around to walk away.

Merlin was hurt by that comment. He could withstand a lot of hurtful words from Arthur but a coward was not one. Arthur doesn't even know what he has done in order to keep Arthur safe. He's killed, almost been killed, kidnapped and poisoned all to protect him and Arthur had the nerve to call him a coward.

Merlin scoffed loudly. "A coward? I'd like to see you suffer what I've been through and watch someone call you a coward." Merlin spat, tears brimming his eyes. He watched Arthur freeze in his spot, but Merlin wasn't having it. He stomped off towards the horses, leaving uncomfortable Knights in his wake and a confused and pissed of Arthur.

Once Merlin made it to the horses, he broke down, tears flooding out of his eyes, but as quick as they left, they stopped. He wiped his eyes, composed himself before strapping down the horses.

Once he was done with the horses, Arthur entered the area as well as the Knights, but none of them talked as they got on the horses and rode.

For most of the day, they rode in silence, once in a while Gwaine would try to liven it up, but it didn't take too well and he was shot down fast. As the sun was starting to set, Leon finally spoke up.

"We should camp here. The sun is about to set." He explained.

Arthur nodded. "You are right. Leon, you, Percival and I will collect firewood. Gwaine and Elyan will do the camp." He looked at Merlin who was still glaring at his hands. "And Merlin just... do whatever." He said before walking into the forest with the others.

Merlin just chuckled. "What a childish attitude." He snapped.

Gwaine chuckled. "Aye. You guys sure are in a bind." He explained.

Merlin nodded. "We will get through it, I just want him to apologize first." He got off his horse. "I'm going to start supper then." He explained.

Merlin did just that. He started a nice soup and as everything came together, dinner was done around the same time as the camp. It was pitch black now and the others were eating. Merlin stayed far from the camp. Finding comfort in the horses company as Arthur and the Knights were laughing and talking.

"Stupid Arthur. Calling me a coward. Can you believe he had the nerve to say that to me?" He asked. The horse just whinnied in response.

Merlin sighed, looking over at the camp to see Arthur was looking over at him, but just as fast he looked away, making a face Merlin didn't appreciate. It hurt him.

As dinner wrapped up, it was time to choose who would be on watch. Merlin volunteered. "I'll do it. You guys get rest." Merlin explained.

"As long as you stay alert this time and dont run off." Arthur jabbed.

Merlin flinched, knowing Arthur was trying to get under his skin about the coward thing. Merlin grabbed the sword and stomped away from the camp, turning his back away from them, hearing them laugh. Merlin leaned against a tree, standing there for a minute. Before he knew it, it was midnight and the Knights were asleep. The fire was now embers but he didn't want to restart it, liking the peaceful dark.

He kept stabbing the dirt with the sword thinking on the days events. It didn't bother him that him and Arthur argue, it bothered him that Arthur thinks of him as a coward. Hes said it in the past but for some reason this moment hit hard. Probably because he almost died almost a week ago and Arthur had no idea. It hurt that he couldn't tell Arthur anything but he knew that came with the job of being Emyrs.

Merlin froze, hearing rustling footsteps just a few yards away from him. Slowly he got into alert mode, gripping the sword, he slowly stood up. He was a good couple of feet from the knights. Waking them would be no problem, but his mind was stubborn. He wanted to prove he wasn't a coward.

He took one more look at the embers before slowly walking into the forest towards the footsteps. He didn't know what to expect but the footsteps sounded few in numbers and he had his magic.

Not realizing just how far he ventured, he spotted a campfire emitting light and froze. They wore Cenred armor. Merlin knew this meant trouble and he needed to get back to the Knights. This could mean war. As Merlin turned around, he slammed into something. Causing him to fall flat on his butt. Merlin looked up to see one of the men.

"Look what we have here, a lost mouse." He said. Bending down, taking in Merlins appearance.

Merlin gulped, before scrambling up, backing away, holding the sword up. "Don't step closer." He demanded.

The man held up his hands. "I'm not looking for trouble. I'm just wondering why you be skulking around."

Merlin gulped. "Skulking around? I heard you first."

The man chuckled.

Another voice back from the right of Merlin who was smiling wide. "Moses, do you see his sword? It is a Knights of Camelots sword." The man with a balding head and crooked teeth says.

Merlin's face drained of color. "How did a man of your stature come to have this in your possession?" Another man asked, his hair was long and curly, thrown back into a pointy tail.

"I found it on the side of the road." Merlin lied. He needed to look for a way out and fast.

But the next few words made him freeze. "A man with a Camelot sword, a neckerchief with curly black hair. Are you perhaps Arthur Pendragon's Manservant?" He asked.

Merlin knew he was done for. Thinking fast on his toes he used his magic and shoved them all away. Taking off towards the direction he came from. He didn't look behind him, not bothering to think of him being chased.

He didn't need to. He was grabbed from the back, the sword slipping from his grasp. Merlin screamed but it was cut off by a beefy hand covering his mouth. Merlin struggled, kicking and fighting.

"Well this certainly is a surprise. If we possibly leave a note for the Knights, we could be rich. We could ask for any amount and be rich beyond belief." The balding man said.

"Do you really think he would care about a manservant like this?" The curly man asked.

Baldy smirked. "Wouldn't hurt to find out. Let's see just how much your king cares. If he doesn't we will turn you over to Cenred. If he gives us what we want, you will be released." He said. "Knock him out, Moses."

Merlin struggled tears starting to fall from his eyes. Moses released Merlins mouth before grabbing a fistful of his hair and his arm before bending Merlin down. In a swift motion, merlin felt a rock hard knee slam into his stomach, knocking the wind out of him. He fell limp to the floor, the last thing he saw was the man picked up his sword before his eyes closed.

Arthur groaned awake, the sun blaring down from the trees. He stretched, looking around to spot the others. The other Knights seemed to just be getting up as well. The only person missing was Merlin.

"Wheres Merlin?" Gwaine asked, rubbing his eyes.

"Probably went to clean the dishes. He usually does that early." Leon explained.

Elyan looked over, seeing the dishes were still next to the fire, dirty. "No, the dishes are still there." He said.

"He's probably sulking. Leave him be. He will come around." Says Arthur, rubbing his eyes.

"I wouldn't blame him. You really got under his skin yesterday." Gwaine said, standing up to grab his sword, only he couldn't seem to find it next to him. That's when he remembered Merlin still had it on watch.

"I said what I said with honesty, but now that I think about it I was harsh. It's been a very stressful week." Arthur admitted, getting up as well.

"Was Merlin in watch all night?" Leon asked, finally noticing they were all waking up.

"Must have been." Arthur said, uninterested on the slowly growing worry of the Knights.

"Merlin?!" Gwaine shouted, hearing it echo slightly. It was then Arthur looked over at them to see the worry on their faces. He shot his head up to where he last saw Merlin.

"Where did that idiot run off too now?" Arthur asked, grabbing his sword. He made his way to the spot Merlin sat. It didn't look out of the ordinary minus the many stabs in the dirt from Merlins nervous habit.

Gwaine sighed, something shiny catching his eye. He turned to see a sword stuck to a tree trunk a couple yards away from their camp with a note. "Guys." Gwaine says as he jogs over to the note. The closer Gwiane got, the paler he became. The sword holding the note was his.

"What is it?" Leon asked.

"Isnt that your sword?" Elyan asked.

Arthur walked up to it, snatching the note from the sword before reading it aloud.

_"Dear Camelot Knights. _

_I hope you slept well. We are Knights of Cenreds kingdom and happened to find your manservant bravely scouting us out. He heard us baiting one of you out but he ended up coming alone. What a brave idiot. Your manservant is currently in our possession. We acquire some demands. -a list of demands- if these are met we will return your manservant. If not we will hand him over to Cenred. We will be near the Camelot border. The earlier the demand is met the more spared your manservant may be. We will give you four days. In those four days, we are not responsible for what your manservant goes through. I'd hurry if I were you. What ever will you choose?" _Arthur finished, cursing under his breath.

"Those damn bastards!" Shouted Gwaine.

"We need to rescue him. But we can't hand them any of the demands. We need to save him." Leon snapped.

Arthur was torn. Merlin got kidnapped all because he called him a coward. Usually when Merlin hears noises he always wakes them up, but last night was the first time he didn't. Couldn't have been a coincidence. He felt so guilty.

"We need to bring the demands." Gwaine snapped. "It's no question."

Arthur nodded. "We will, but we will try to get him back without a risky trade. We have four days. We need to move." He explained. Gwaine nodded and they immediately started packing.

*Merlin*

Merlin slowly woke up, his stomach already hurting and his eyes adjusting to a dark room. Everything flooded back to him. Gasping he sat up and looked around to see the Knights from Cenred were asleep next to a slowly dying fire. Merlin looked down at himself to see he had on a collar that connected from chains to his arms. His knees were tied together. Almost everything that allowed him to move was tied.

Trying to move, he rattled his chains, making the knights stir. Merlin froze at that. Watching the Knights shift before they finally settled back down. Merlin blew a breath before looking down, whispering a spell, but to his surprise, his magic did not respond. He scoffed lifted his wrists to look at the cuffs to see that it had the suppressant designs.

"Dammit." Merlin breathed, dropping his wrists to his thighs, leaning back against the wooden wall. He just couldn't believe he was in this situation. Not only was suppressing his magic dangerous to his health, but to think he was able to get caught so easily made him feel weak.

He heard the door of the wooden cabin opened and Merlin jumped, looking to the door to see the one who knocked him out walk in. He was dripping in water, making Merlin confirm that it is raining outside.

"Ah, so he's awake." The man said, running a hand through his wet hair.

Merlin gulped. "And I see you are soaked. Are we stating the obvious?" Merlin mocked.

The man chuckled. "You've got tongue, don't you kid?" He asked, walking towards Merlin.

Merlin stayed still, a smirk appearing on his face. "I talk this way to King Arthur. You are nothing to worry about compared to him."

The mans expression darkened, a toothy smirk appearing on his face. "Nothing compared to him? Well maybe we need to change that attitude of yours." Before Merlin could speak, the man reached down and grabbed Merlins wrist, dragging him behind. Merlin squealed, making the other Knights jump.

"Moses where are you going with Merlin?" One of the Knights asked.

"Oh nothing just thought the mutt should be outside." Moses replied, opening the door. He tossed Merlin outside. Merlin landed in a thick puddle of grassy mud making him shiver. He heard chains being dragged through the water before his neck collar was pulled back. He heard a clasp. Merlin looked behind to see a chain that connected to a metal part of the cabin floor was placed on his collar. Merlin looked up to see Moses was smirking.

"Dogs deserve to stay outside." He bent down with a smirk on his face. "King Arthur is a tamed King compared to me. Not a worry? I'm sure you will change your mind very soon." He stood up straight, walking back to the door. "Sleep well." He said before closing the cabin door. Merlin scoffed, shivering in the heavy rainfall. Looking down at his thighs, with shaky hands he managed to undo the rope on his thighs. Once they were done, Merlin looked around to see just where they were.

It was clear that a village resided in the area considering the sheep's that surrounded a nearby place of the cabin. Merlin could only assume they were near Ealdor or lots kingdom at the very edge of Camelot borders. Looking up, he saw the rain started to pour harder and with his thin clothes he knew this would only result in him becoming sick.

Merlin slowly stood up on his feet and walked over to the cabin before plopping down next to the window on the side of the cabin. The roof was a bit extended so it kept him out of the rain, but that didn't help much considering he was already wet.

As Merlin tried to pass the time, the sun slowly came up as the rain lightened up. To Merlins horror he was shivering. His clothes were cold and his skin had constant goosebumps as he hugged himself to keep warm. He heard the door to the cabin opened and before Merlin could react, the chain connected to his neck was being tugged. Merlin choked, being dragged to the front of the cabin. He felt the collar dig into his collar bone, feeling some warm liquid drip down.

"Ah, there he is." Moses said, holding the chain. Merlin glared. "Ohh seems ya got nipped by the tug. Sorry about that mate."

"N-no your n-not." Merlin replied, his voice shaking through chattering teeth.

Moses smirked in satisfaction. "Oh sounds like you got a bit cold. Freezing last night, yeah?"

"Moses stop playing with him. We need to go collect some more firewood and talk to the locals about food." One of them said.

"Come now Darian. I'm only having a little fun." Moses replied.

"Leave the boy. He can't use his magic nor can he run. We need to get going." Darian snapped.

Another knight appeared out of the cabin and went to fetch the horses. Moses sighed, letting Merlins chain go as he fell back on his butt. Moses slowly turned but stopped. "Just to ensure you don't go far, how about I do this." Grabbing the collar once again he brought Merlin up to his knees. Before Merlin could register anything, a punch to his gut made all the air escape his lungs. Not letting him recover, Moses kicked him and as Merlin fell back, Moses let the chain go, watching as Merlin gasped for air, clutching his stomach close.

"Pathetic. Cant even fight back with all that talk. What a coward." Moses spat before turning to get on his horse.

Merlin felt the tears escape his eyes as he watched them ride away into the distance. Merlin just wanted to be warm, safe and not in pain. Being called a coward by not only Arthur, but now knights of Cenred really hurt him. He curled in on himself, not caring he was in a puddle of rainwater, getting his clothes soaked again. The only thing on his mind was the searing pain in his stomach.

*Arthur*

The Knights finally met the knights that were in charge of bringing the demands. With only 4 days, he needed to take some short cuts. He had knights ride to meet him halfway to give him what the others demanded.

"Sir Peter, thank you for grabbing it for me." Arthur smirked, hugging the knight. Sir Peter nodded.

"It was a lot to gather but I have what you asked for. May I ask why you needed it?" Peter asked.

"Merlin got kidnapped and we are going to try to get him back but the demands are our last resort. Thank you Sir Peter." Arthur nodded at him before peter bowed.

"Wish you the best of luck, Sire. Get Merlin home safe and healthy." Peter nodded, before handing the bags over to Gwaine and getting on the horse.

They watched as he rode off before Arthur turned to them. "Okay. We have the demands now we need to get a move on. That probably means 3 all nighters in order to get to the Camelot border in time." Arthur explained.

Leon nodded. "Its for Merlin. Everyone here is committed, Sire." Leon explained.

Arthur nodded. "Alright then we shall get going now. Pack up let's move." Arthur demanded before taking the bags and throwing them over Merlin's horse, strapping them down. He must find Merlin. He feels it's his fault Merlin ran away, mainly because he called Merlin a coward. He knew that wasn't correct, he just said it out of anger but because of it, Merlin wanted to prove himself.

He was determined to find Merlin, hoping he wouldn't find Merlin in... he couldn't even think about how Merlin is fairing. The state he finds him in, Arthur only hope it's fine.

*Merlin*

Merlin was still in the same spot, his body refusing to move since every movement seemed to ache his cold bones. He heard the horses coming back, causing him to slowly lift his head to see them stop near the cabin. He watched Moses get off and a smile appeared on his face, seeing that Merlin was still in the same spot.

"Now that is a good boy." Moses mocked.

Darian felt a bit bad for Merlin but knew Moses was going to do whatever he wanted to do. He also knew this wasn't going to go over well with King Arthur if he does end up coming.

Moses bent down and grabbed the chain, pulling on it to make Merlin sit up. Merlin let out a squeal, as he was being dragged up to his knees. Merlin felt his skin get scraped once again, making him flinch.

"You look like a scared little cat. What happened to the tough guy from last night?" He asked, his face close to Merlins, making Merlin retract at his bad breath. Moses saw this and jerked him closer, causing the metal to scrape Merlins skin again.

"Let me go." Merlin whispered.

Moses just chuckled. "Let you go? Is that what you want?" He stood up straight, dragging Merlin along with him until he was on his feet. Without recovering Moses jerked him towards the side of the house, causing Merlin to stumble as he followed. Once they were there, Moses jerked him to the floor.

Merlin crashed, his body shivering at the harsh contact. Merlin felt quite a bit of blood dripping down both his back and chest, most likely from being dragged around so much with his collar.

Moses flipped Merlin around, putting a foot down on Merlin's chest, holding him there. "You are just a servant. You don't tell me what to do nor do you lip off at me. Next time you do so, it's your bones." Moses threatened before stepping off of Merlin and turning away from him, walking into the cabin.

Merlin slowly reached up, feeling the thick liquid on his neck, pulling his hand back to confirm it was blood that was dripping down. His neck felt tender and his body ached from both being suppressed and abused. He just hoped Arthur will be here soon. Taking a moment, Merlin curled in on himself, not being able to hold in the soft Whimpers.

*Arthur*

The Knights were making good time thanks to Gwaine's knowledge of the land and some short cuts they could take. At this rate they will make it to the border with a day to spare, so Arthur felt it was right to take a small break to replenish.

"I hope Merlin is okay." Gwaine said, taking a big bite of the semi stale bread in his hand.

"He is. He's Merlin. He's survived so much bullshit he will definitely survive three Knights of Cenreds kingdom." Elyan defended, eating a spoonful of Gwaine's dreadful attempt at making rabbit stew. They were so hungry they didn't care, but they wished Merlin was here to save the meal.

"He's right. Merlin is strong." Percival said, joining into the conversation.

Arthur sighed, setting his half eaten bowl down. "I can't help but feel this is all my fault he got captured." Arthur says, making a face.

"How?" Leon asked.

Arthur scratched the back of his head before continuing. "The Knights from last week said some comments that made Merlin and I tense up and start reacting badly to each other. Because of it, we both exploded and I called him a coward. I didn't expect that word to bother him as much as it did. I wanted to apologize but my pride wouldn't let me. I think that's why he didn't wake anyone when he knew someone was close or watching the camp. He wanted to prove himself and he ultimately paid the price." Arthur explained, the guilt making his shoulders drooped as he scratched the back of his head.

Leon placed a hand on Arthur, a smile appearing on his face. "You can't beat yourself up about this. You made a mistake, that much is clear. But you are making up for it by fighting for him. When we rescue him you can apologize. He will be a fighting spirit and you can finally get closure. Stop feeling so guilty." Leon explained.

Gwaine nodded. "He's got a point. Merlin told me he knew you guys would get over it. Find a way out. We are all here for you, even if you said something hurtful, princess. He's said some things too you as well. You guys are like brothers."

Arthur chuckled. "Thank you guys. I honestly don't know what I would do without any of you."

Everyone finished their meal before finally getting back on the road, taking another shortcut that would make their journey faster than Arthur expected.

*Merlin*

The night wasn't kind to Merlin. His body shivered and he could tell he was getting sick. His stomach was starting to develop bruises and his neck was throbbing. He was still in the same spot that Moses threw him, not wanting to risk moving. He was starving, since he hadn't eaten in almost 2 full days, nearing 3.

The moon was high in the sky and Merlin was thankful the sky was clear so he could just admire the many stars that lined the night sky. It was one of his many Joy's being out here. As he watched the moon for a few more minutes, his eyes fluttered closed and before he knew it he was asleep.

Moments later he felt his neck being jerked once again, making him scream at the pain it caused him. When his eyes opened he noticed it was morning. He looked over at Moses who was smiling bright, holding the chains in his hand.

"Wakey wakey." Moses mocks.

Merlins body shivered at the morning air running through his body. He couldn't stop shaking and Moses felt it, pulling the chain again. Merlin got onto his knees, crawling over to Moses, hoping this submissive tone would make it so he wouldn't get hurt again. Moses found satisfaction in that.

"Oh look at that, the dog learned some obedience." Moses mocked.

Merlin glared, but immediately regretted it when Moses jerked the chain, causing immense pain to shoot through Merlins spine. Merlin felt tears well in his eyes, and Moses found pleasure into this.

"Don't defy me and maybe you will be spared more pain." Moses whispered.

Merlin swallowed hard before he nodded slightly. Moses let go of the chains, watching Merlin collapse onto his side, nearly toppling over onto his back. Moses made his way to the other Knights, discussing something.

Merlin knew being obedient was the only way he will be spared anymore pain. No matter how much he hated it, he needed to bite his tongue.

*Arthur*

By the time sunset hit, they finally made it to a village, one close to the border of Camelot. Arthur got off the horse and walked over to an older woman who was hanging clothes.

"Excuse me ma'am, have you seen some Knights around here? Possibly having a man with a neckerchief on?" Arthur asked.

The woman nodded. "There were Knights. They told us if Camelot Knights come to ask, to tell them where they were. They are about 10 miles back that way." She pointed. "In a wooden cabin."

"Are you saying we passed them?" Arthur asked.

The woman nodded. Arrhur cursed under his breath. "Thank you for your time." He explained before turning back to the Knights.

"Now I know how they got to the border so quickly. They are ten miles back." Arthur explained.

The Knights groaned as Merlin got back onto his horse and they made their way back. All the while all they could think was how much Merlin was suffering over these extra few hours they could've spent saving him.

*Merlin*

Night time came rapidly and yet again Moses and the other knights finally made it back, fresh food assaulting Merlins nose, causing his stomach to grumble loudly. Moses seemed to hear it, deciding to have some fun. Grabbing the freshly baked bread he pulled it out of the leather skin bag and walked closer to Merlin.

"Would you like some?" Moses asked.

Merlin waited a moment but surrendered, nodding pathetically. Moses smirked. "Then beg."

Merlin's eyes bulged out if his head at the words that escaped Moses' mouth. He was starving, but he wasn't about to beg for his food. Especially from someone who gets off on someone else's misery. Merlin swallowed the lump in his throat before looking away.

This ticked off Moses. Handing the bread off to Darian, who took it back into the room, Moses grabbed the chains and jerked so roughly, Merlin screamed in pain. His body slamming into the ground. Immediately Merlin's eyes filled with brimming tears.

"I don't appreciate being treated like a fool!" He snapped, dragging Merlin close. Merlin sobbed out in pain, the collar digging into the already tender skin. When he was at Moses Feet, Moses dropped the chain and stepped on it, so close to Merlins chin Merlin could only look at his boots which smelled of grass and manure.

"When I say to beg, you beg. A servant is a worthless excuse for a human being. You do as your told." He brought his foot up, moving Merlins chins up to face him. "I want to hear you beg."

Merlin finally had enough. "I'll never beg." Merlin spat.

That comment seemed to throw him over the edge. He kicked Merlin in the mouth, causing Merlin to squeal, tasting blood in his mouth. Another kick to his stomach, this one hard made him breathless.

"You will beg. I will hear the satisfaction of your pathetic voice begging me to stop." Moses mocked before kicking him once again in the stomach.

Merlin sobbed, his stomach feeling like a bubbling mess. Moses bent down and grabbed the chains before jerking him up, making Merlin squeal. In a quick motion, he kicked Merlin in the chest, but instead of letting go of the Chains, he watched Merlin jerk back against the chains, fresh blood spilling down his neck from the deep cut the collar seemed to put on. Merlin suffered whiplash, making him dizzy.

Merlin shivered, his cheeks flushing. He was sick with the fever, his magic was suppressed and now this... Merlin didn't want to beg, but he was close to. Did that make him.. a coward?

Merlin watched as Moses lifted his foot again, but before he could stomp down, he saw an arrow go through his face, causing Merlin to jerk back when his chain was released. His whole body seemed to shiver, blind pain shot through his body as he fell back on his butt. When Moses fell, he spotted the glint of the crossbow and when he noticed the red, his body sagged and flooded with relief.

*Arthur*

When they made it to the general area the woman said, they decided to search on foot. Gwaine held the crossbow close as they trudge through the muddy terrain. They were about to give up when they heard a familiar scream close by.

Immediately they rushed towards the scream, emerging out to see a cabin, but what made their blood boil was the fact that Merlin was on his knees in a bowing stance.

"When I say to beg, you beg. A servant is a worthless excuse for a human being. You do as your told." They heard him say, all their blood seemed to scream to charge, but they waited as Gwiane hurriedly searched for the crossbow bolts. "I want to hear you beg."

Merlin decided to speak, his voice so strong it made Arthur proud. "I'll never beg." Merlin spat.

But just as Merlin spoke they saw the man kick Merlin, hearing a squeal escaped him. Arthur's blood boiled and that made Gwaine pick up the pace. They watched as another kick was sent, this time in the stomach.

"You will beg. I will hear the satisfaction of your pathetic voice begging me to stop." the man said before delivering another kick. Gwaine finally found the crossbow bolts, grabbing one and starting to ready the bow.

When they looked back they saw the man jerk Merlin with a chain seeing Merlin flinch at the pain. Gwiane readied the bow as the man slammed his leg into Merlin's chest. They saw Merlins whole body shiver. Before the man could stomp on him again, Gwiane released the arrow, watching as Merlin fell back on his butt and the man fall to the side. They watched as Merlin looked over at them. Gwaine immediately shot up and rushed out of the forest, making his way towards Merlin.

The others were next to him. The closer they got the more angry they grew. Merlin was in chains, his arms and collar connected but what made Arthur pissed was the one that connected him to the house like a hound.

Arthur dropped to his knees, slowly reaching for Merlin. Merlin's eyes started to sob as he threw himself against Arthur. Arthur was shocked at how much Merlin was shaking. His whole body was cold. It was too dark to really see how Merlin looked.

"We are here, Merlin." Arthur whispered, making Merlin shiver again.

Gwaine searched the Knight and finally found the keys. He turned over to Merlin and tapped his shoulder. Merlin slowly turned towards him and looked down at the keys. He gulped, holding out his hands. Arrhur on the other hand noticed the carving, unsettling him, but seeing Merlin made him wait. Gwaine unlocked them. When he moved to the neck, Gwaine could feel how slimy the collar was. When they heard it click and fall off, they were mortified. Merlins neck had a deep ring of bloody cuts around his collar bone. The blood droplets seemed to be farther down then they could see. With the chains off, Gwaine took his Cloak off and wrapped it around Merlins shoulders, watching him shiver under the heat.

Percival stepped forward and bent down, picking Merlin up in a bridal style carry. "What about the other two?" Leon asked.

Merlin shook his head. "They didnt do anything. It was all him." He explained, his voice was raw.

They nodded before making their way to the horses. On the way, Merlin seemed to fall asleep in Percivals arms, but Percival didn't mind. Deciding to make camp here, they placed Merlin on two bed rolls before throwing some blankets on him. Thankful he was safe.

When Morning hit, Merlin slowly woke up, his whole body was painful. Every move he made, felt like it would be his last. He managed to turn around fully to see the Knights of the round sitting around the fire, making food. Merlin attempted to sit up, but the bruises on his stomach causing him to squeal at the pain.

Finally being alerted, Gwiane shot up and rushed over to him, helping Merlin sit up. When the blankets fell, the Knights were horrified to see Merlin. His neck was ghastly, shredded and caked in blood. His lip was busted and his eyes held deep dark bags.

"Merlin..." Leon breathed sadly, watching Merlin flinch with every move.

Merlin swallowed hard, looking over their faces. Immediately he felt tears swell. "I... I wasn't dreaming." He croaked. "You guys really are here."

Gwaine shot forward and hugged him, causing Merin to hiss. He looked over at Arthur, who was smiling. "You are not dreaming Merlin." He said. Before standing up and walking towards him. Merlins head was spinning when he saw Arthur bow to him. "I also wanted to apologize. What I did was uncalled for and completely unnecessary. You are not a coward, Merlin. You are one of the bravest men I've ever met." He explained, causing the tears to flood.

Merlin smiled, his cheeks flushing. "Thank you... arthur." He said before his eyes rolled back and if it wasn't for Gwiane holding him he would have collapsed on the floor.

Gwiane quickly felt his pulse, feeling it was slightly weak. He also felt the forehead, recoiling at how warm it was. "He has a fever. We need to break it and get him to Gaius." Gwaine explained, slowly lying Merlin back down. Leon looked over at Merlin, flinching at the sight of the blood. He sighed, grabbing a piece of cloth and a water skin, walking over to Merlin. With the help of Gwaine, they took off his shirt.

Arthur was shocked at the amount of scars on his body, but the bruises were pressed against his fair skin. The blood was all over his chest and back, making them cringe. Leon poured water into the cloth as he started to wipe the blood away. The closer he got to the neck. Merlin flinched, stirring uncomfortably. Leon lightened his hands as he slowly cleaned his neck. The more he cleaned it the more they realized Just how deep the cuts were.

"That knight pulling on the chain so much must have been so painful." Elyan says, watching as Leon cleaned his back.

"Not to mention with how deep some of these are, that knight no doubt reopened the wounds everytime he jerked Merlin's collar." Leon explained, finishing the last of the blood. Merlin coughed, his body shaking violently because of it.

They decided it was good enough and wrapped Merlin in their cloaks. Percival deiced to place him on his horse, holding him close as they made their way back to Camelot. A few times they had to stop, but they trudged on. Finally after a few days, they made it back to Camelot, Merlin's fever returning near the last night. When they arrived, Arthur jumped off of his horse and with the help of Gwaine, they grabbed for Merlin, careful not to jostle him too much. Percival jumped down and grabbed Merlin from them as they made their way to Gaius' chambers.

When they arrived, Gaius was nodding off in the chair. When the Knights busted in like a bat out of hell, Gaius jumped into physician mode, having them set Merlin down on the cot.

"What happened?" Gaius asked, collect his bag of tools while the knights unwrapped him.

"He was kidnapped and tortured by some Cenred knights." Gwaine snapped, suddenly getting a vile taste in his mouth.

Gaius nodded, quickly taking in the slowly growing infected cute on Merlins neck. Immediately he started cleaning and sewing the cuts, some of them were shallow while others were deep. Once he was done, he immediately wrapped Merlin's neck. He moved to Merlin's abdomen, seeing that most of the bruises were shaped like boot prints, especially the ones on his chest. With the way Merlin was breathing and how congested his chest felt he knew Merlin also had Pneumonia. He turned to the knights, placing a thick blanket over Merlin and a cool rag.

"Im thankful you saved him in time, Sire." Gaius says. "Any longer and we would have died from pneumonia alone." He explained.

Arthur stepped forward. "What exactly is wrong with him?"

Gaius sighed, wiping his hands off. "He has a broken rib, bruises on his chest and abdomen. He is malnourished, and was most likely exposed to rain and cold which caused him to gain pneumonia. His neck wounds looked the worst, they were constantly being reopened, allowing many bacteria in. I was able to clean them, but we must watch them closely." He finished, sitting up from his chair, walking over to the table.

The knights understood, watching Merlin breath unevenly in the bed, their journey catching up to them. Arthur sighed. "We shall rest. Make sure to alarm us when Merlin awakes or something happens, will you Gaius?" He asked.

Gaius nodded. "Of course. Go rest." He says, practically throwing them out of the room. When the knights were out, Gaius plopped into the chair, looking over at Merlin. He sighed. "You better be okay." He whispered, slowly falling asleep in the chair.

The next morning, Merlin slowly woke up to an empty room, his body feeling sore as he slowly shifted in the bed. The room was well lit and smelled like home. His eyes scanned the room, and it was then he realized he was in Gaius' quarters. His whole body seemed to relax as he softly pulled himself into a sitting position, gritting his teeth as he leaned on his elbow. He felt as if something was choking him, slowly he reached up, feeling the bandages on his neck.

As he was trying to loosen the bandages, he heard the door open, causing him to look over at the door, seeing Arthur and Gaius walking in, discussing something that looked important. When Arthurs eyes met his, his jaw dropped.

"Merlin! You're finally awake." Arthur says, walking over to the bed. Gaius reached for a vile on the table before stiding over to Merlin, handing it to him.

"Drink this. It will help with the pain." Merlin nodded, taking the the vile and chugging the bottle. When he handed it to Gaius, he laid back down on his back, looking over at Arthur.

"How long have I been out? Last time I was awake we were still in the forest." Merlin croaked out, his throat aching.

Arthur took the seat next to Merlin, folding his arms. "You have been in and out for nearly four days. Your fever is a main factor why you don't remember much." He explained.

Merlin hummed, coughing up some congested mucus from his lungs. Once his coughing fit was done, he looked over at the window. "Thank you for saving me." He whispered.

Arthur chuckled. "Of course. We have fought but I would never leave you." Arthur explained, reaching for Merlins hand, squeezing it. "Also… Merlin I know."

Merlin snapped his gaze to Arthur, his face reading visible confusion. "Know what?" He asked.

Arthur pointed at his neck with his free hand, a small, sad smile appearing on his face. "The collar. It had markings I couldn't make a mistake." He explained.

Merlin finally caught up to what he was saying, he physically paled at that. "You… know about my… magic." He asked, the word feeling foreign on his tongue.

Arthur nodded. "I do and Gaius explained everything to me. I'm not made, Merlin. I'm surprised I didn't see it before. How you were never injured, how the bad guys never got to me it was all because of you. I'm sorry I called you a coward. You are anything but that vile word." He squeezed Merlins hand. "It may take some convincing and some time, but I plan to lift the ban on magic. For now, this secret stays between us." Arthur explained.

Merlin couldn't explain what he was feeling. His tears seemed to flood out as his smile wouldn't dim. For the longest time he always imagined Arthur's reaction to be anger, never understanding. It made him have a new found respect for his King. Thank you, Arthur." Merlin whispered, his eyes slowly closing. Before he knew it, Merlin had fallen asleep, this time with peace.

*3 years later*

Merlin was readying for the big announcement. The ban on magic was being lifted today after so many years of trying. It was finally happening and Merlin felt sick yet overwhelmingly happy. He shoved on his new black boots, before standing up, looking at himself in the mirror. He was in a blue short with a black vest on. His hooded cloak falling loosely on his shoulder. Merlin spotted the scars on his neck, slowly he reached them, touching the painful memory. They were bright against his pale skin, making them very noticeable. Merlin decided to look at them as his step towards his relationship with Arthur. They were practically inseparable now and the Knights noticed it the first week Merlin was healing. They eventually told them about a year later. They were surprised, the only one who had already knew was Gwaine.

Merlin sighed, walking away from the window and towards the door. He paused at it, taking in a deep breath before opening the door. He spotted Gwaine and Percival standing there, a smile on their faces.

"You ready?" Gwaine asked.

Merlin sent him his goofy smile. "Of course." He said, walking with them to the door. Merlin grew nervous the closer they got to the balcony. When they were right in front of it, Merlin relaxed, collecting himself. "He looked back at the knights. "Wish us luck." He chuckled.

The knights bowed.

Merlin looked at the door, a look of determination on his face. He reached for the hood, throwing it over his head. The door opened and Merlin understood. Stepping out into a new kingdom. A kingdom Arthur and him turned into their own. A kingdom changed by friendships. A kingdom to last a lifetime.

And a friendship to last an eternity.


End file.
